AI short dramas ignite new cognitive warfare battlefield; experts warn of political manipulation.

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the barriers to producing audio and visual content have significantly decreased. Recently, AI-generated short dramas and videos have gradually become a trend across major social media platforms, capturing the attention of a large audience. However, the popularization of this technology also brings potential security concerns. Ho Chen-hui, a consultant at the Taiwan Black Bear Academy, publicly warned today that AI-generated dramas and videos are highly likely to become the new battlefield for future cognitive warfare. Because such content possesses a high degree of visual appeal and is easy to watch, it is particularly favored by specific age groups and demographics, thereby generating extremely high engagement. If malicious actors cleverly embed messages with specific political intentions or cognitive manipulation into these seemingly entertaining short dramas, it will have an incalculable impact on targeted groups, and all sectors must heighten their vigilance.

From the perspectives of communication studies and psychology, the reason AI dramas are able to capture the attention of specific groups in a short period of time lies primarily in their precise audience targeting and high level of entertainment. Traditional political propaganda or misinformation often carries a high degree of stiffness and preachability, making it easy to arouse the guard of audiences. In contrast, AI-generated dramas wrap political or social issues in an entertaining guise through vivid imagery, dramatic plots, and narrative techniques that conform to the aesthetics and values of specific groups. This form of "edutainment" or subtle influence can effectively lower the defensive psychology of the audience. When viewers unknowingly accept the emotions and value biases conveyed by the videos while viewing them casually, their behavioral patterns and political attitudes may be imperceptibly distorted. This is precisely what is most sophisticated and dangerous about cognitive warfare.

Analyzing further, Ho specifically pointed out that the high engagement of specific age groups and demographics is the key to the success of this emerging cognitive warfare tactic. In the current digital ecosystem, different generations and communities gather on different digital platforms, and the channels for receiving information exhibit a high degree of audience fragmentation. Teenagers or certain elderly groups may become the easiest targets for AI-generated content to penetrate due to limited digital literacy or extremely high dependence on specific social platforms. When these groups become accustomed to acquiring their worldview through fragmented short videos, malicious actors can exploit the characteristics of algorithms to precisely feed content tailored to the preferences and anxieties of specific groups. This segmented cognitive operation can not only deepen existing opposition and misunderstandings within specific communities, but may also further tear apart the overall social cohesion, posing a severe challenge to the social security of democratic countries.

Faced with the brand-new security threats brought by AI technology, Taiwan, as a high-risk frontline that has long faced external cognitive warfare and information manipulation, faces an urgent task in figuring out how to respond to this new type of challenge. In the past, relevant units and civil society organizations mostly focused on identifying text, images, or traditional deepfake technology when dealing with misinformation. However, as generative AI matures in scriptwriting, character development, and dynamic generation technologies, the complexity faced by defenders increases exponentially. In the future, government departments must not only continue to strengthen public digital and media literacy to enhance people's critical thinking regarding all types of audio and visual content, but also require cooperation between industry, government, and academia to develop technological tools capable of effectively detecting and labeling AI-generated content. By simultaneously addressing both the source and the channels, the probability of spreading malicious information can be reduced.

Overall, the rise of AI dramas symbolizes innovation in the digital entertainment industry, but it also simultaneously opens Pandora's box of information warfare and cognitive warfare. When the convenience of technology is transformed into a tool for manipulating public opinion and social division, individual vigilance alone is often insufficient to fully resist it. Taiwanese society must confront the structural risks brought by AI and establish a cross-disciplinary defense network. From grassroots rooting in the educational system to enhance the entire nation's immunity to digital information, to the review and revision of relevant regulations, every link is crucial to national security and the stability of democratic institutions. Only by striking a balance between technological development and social preparedness can Taiwan safeguard its diverse and open democratic values in the rapidly changing digital era, embracing the true opportunities rather than crises brought by artificial intelligence.

(Fact source: Central News Agency)